BC: "We will be in a unique position with $12M in cap space before the draft" Part 2

We will be in a unique position with $12 million in cap space before the draft and before July 1 to entertain deals where significant contracts could come into play. You could move a player out with some value and take back a player with significant value even higher than that $12 million. If you package the pick along with a young player, what does that net you? All of those questions will be answered over the course of the next several weeks and months as Ed Stefanski and I entertain those phone calls from the various GMs and us placing phone calls to various GMs. We will have a lot of lines in the water.”

Initially I thought about this idea with the thinking of Colangelo taking back an expensive or overpaid yet useful (or in some cases VERY useful) player. Another possibility would be to use the Raptors cap space to take another team's bad contracts or contracts that are holding them back from making a splash in free agency in exchange for assets (draft picks, prospects, proven players on rookie contracts, or players in the magic 25-28 range who can shoot). A team that has 2 dead weight contracts and just one amnesty clause also makes a possible interesting trade partner as the Raptors could take one contract and the other team could amnesty the other.

As was said in Part 1, lets make an assumption that the young players BC speaks of on Raptors roster are 25 or under. That gives us a list of (2012-13 salaries in brackets): Amir Johnson ($6M), DeMar DeRozan ($3.3M), Ed Davis ($2.2M), and James Johnson ($2.8M).

In compiling the list below I have made a number of subjective classifications dead weight a team might want gone and assets they might be willing to trade to make the dead weight go away that Toronto might actually want. If you disagree with what I have below or would make an addition, please do so in your posts. By no means is this considered to be a definitive list - just a conversation starter.

The thinking of BC adding another draft pick or young player goes against many public statements he and DC have said this year. However, it is becoming clear with Colangelo and Casey that often times what is said is a bluff (no trades at deadline) and what is not said is what is on their mind (JV).

Any scenario of Raptor cap space facilitating taking on another teams dead weight for the acquisition of an asset(s) appeal to you? This type of scenario could help move up in the draft.

atlanta in a second for either the pick or smith. detroit id like gordon for their pick(wont happen though). i think charlotte will suck one more year and then hit free agency big time. hornets id take okafor with one of their picks and aminu.

Scenarios above that interest me for use of cap space and combination of ED, DD, JJ, Amir, 2nd round picks (note - I'd only be interested in swapping 1st round picks. I think Toronto can get a good player at 8 or possibly to 12 in a swap down and definitely with a swap up):

Dallas: Beaubois, 17th pick, rights to Calathes, take on Marion

New Orleans: Okafor (assuming healthy) and Ariza interest me. They are expensive but they are also better than the majority of players currently on roster. Throw in another lotto pick or player like Aminu or Vasquez and things become interesting.

Philly: Jrue Holiday would be a dream pick up. I'd give up just about anything for him. Not sure Philly feels the same.

Last I heard it was that Raymond Felton was not happy in Portland and the Trail Blazers felt the same way about Felton. I wonder if a Calderon and one of our bigs for Felton + draft pick trade would be mutually benficial to both sides. Portland has set themselves up to be right back in the hunt as contenders next season. With Aldridge and Batum in their primes I don't think they want to try and rebuild through the lottery. They probably want to get as many assets as they can for those picks so they can contend next season.

Last I heard it was that Raymond Felton was not happy in Portland and the Trail Blazers felt the same way about Felton. I wonder if a Calderon and one of our bigs for Felton + draft pick trade would be mutually benficial to both sides. Portland has set themselves up to be right back in the hunt as contenders next season. With Aldridge and Batum in their primes I don't think they want to try and rebuild through the lottery. They probably want to get as many assets as they can for those picks so they can contend next season.

Felton is an unrestricted free agent though.

Supposedly they have eyes for a PG through free agency. I"ve read rumours on Dragic and Nash.

I'd love Jrue but the way he's played in the playoffs (no Rose, but still) I think he's a core piece moving forward. Wouldn't be surprised if they let all their FA/RFA's walk except Hawes and roll with what they have.

I would also take the dead weight of Okafor's contract if we could swap one of our 1st round picks with them (preferrably in 3-5 range), send them our dead weight of Andrea (sell it to them as a player of all-star potential of course) and throw in Aminu to our side of the deal. That's a win for both teams imo.

A lot of intriguing scenario's when reviewing all of the teams you have listed and the player possibilities.

- NO saves a bunch of money and unloads a bad contract (could then amnesty Ariza if they wanted to)
- NO picks up a PF & SF who could both be valuable starter/rotation players
- NO still has one lottery pick and adds 2 2nd rounders (#38 & #56)

- NO saves a bunch of money and unloads a bad contract (could then amnesty Ariza if they wanted to)
- NO picks up a PF & SF who could both be valuable starter/rotation players
- NO still has one lottery pick and adds 2 2nd rounders (#38 & #56)

I like this idea in theory, except I'm worried that Okafor had some knee injury and missed about 40 games last season. This trade would require a draft day deal, which would assume Okafor will be healthy in about two months. Otherwise we'd be taking a big Bogut type gamble, which I don't think BC would go for.

- NO saves a bunch of money and unloads a bad contract (could then amnesty Ariza if they wanted to)
- NO picks up a PF & SF who could both be valuable starter/rotation players
- NO still has one lottery pick and adds 2 2nd rounders (#38 & #56)

I'd do this in a heartbeat, but it'll never happen.

Okafor isn't dead weight: he's a good defensive center with only two years left on his contract, playing for a team that has no reason at all to dump him since they're going to be far enough under the cap to extend Gordon and have no other front court players under contract save Ayon. And on top of that, he'll be an incredibly useful bargaining chip as an expiring contract in the '13-'14 season.

So why would NO trade a lottery pick AND their starting center for a mediocre power forward and a small forward when they've already got two small forwards under contract for next year? This deal would absolutely kill any chance they'd have at extending Gordon.

Okafor isn't dead weight: he's a good defensive center with only two years left on his contract, playing for a team that has no reason at all to dump him since they're going to be far enough under the cap to extend Gordon and have no other front court players under contract save Ayon. And on top of that, he'll be an incredibly useful bargaining chip as an expiring contract in the '13-'14 season.

So why would NO trade a lottery pick AND their starting center for a mediocre power forward and a small forward when they've already got two small forwards under contract for next year? This deal would absolutely kill any chance they'd have at extending Gordon.

I could argue this either way.

Agreement: good points. Not much to add except they have Jason Smith in addition to Ayon.

Disagreement: it depends on who they draft (Drummond, Robinson, Davis, Sullinger). They might also want to bring back Kaman versus Okafor or they might want to take a run at a younger player via free agency: Lopez, Hibbert, or McGee. Offering Lopez, Hibbert, or McGee the money that Okafor is making might make their current teams blink. At PF they might bring back Landry and they also have Jason Smith in addition to Ayon. Down the stretch, Monty Williams was also very vague on what was going on with his knee. Speculation on my part but it seemed like Williams was saying, "He could be playing. Don't know why he isn't." But again speculation on my part. With a high draft pick and possibly another cheap rookie contract coming back in possibly ED they would free up $12M to spend elsewhere. Finally, a lot of the speculation in New Orleans is if they will use the amnesty on him. It would be great if they did and Toronto scooped him up for $4-5M.

Agreement: good points. Not much to add except they have Jason Smith in addition to Ayon.

Disagreement: it depends on who they draft (Drummond, Robinson, Davis, Sullinger). They might also want to bring back Kaman versus Okafor or they might want to take a run at a younger player via free agency: Lopez, Hibbert, or McGee. Offering Lopez, Hibbert, or McGee the money that Okafor is making might make their current teams blink. At PF they might bring back Landry and they also have Jason Smith in addition to Ayon. Down the stretch, Monty Williams was also very vague on what was going on with his knee. Speculation on my part but it seemed like Williams was saying, "He could be playing. Don't know why he isn't." But again speculation on my part. With a high draft pick and possibly another cheap rookie contract coming back in possibly ED they would free up $12M to spend elsewhere. Finally, a lot of the speculation in New Orleans is if they will use the amnesty on him. It would be great if they did and Toronto scooped him up for $4-5M.

I don't at all disagree that Okafor is expendable, I just disagree that his contract has negative value and therefor that NO would package a high lottery pick just to get him off their hands. Especially not for Amir, JJ and two 2nd round picks. If the swap was ED and the Raps pick for Okafor and the NO pick then I think NO seriously considers it.

I don't at all disagree that Okafor is expendable, I just disagree that his contract has negative value and therefor that NO would package a high lottery pick just to get him off their hands. Especially not for Amir, JJ and two 2nd round picks. If the swap was ED and the Raps pick for Okafor and the NO pick then I think NO seriously considers it.

In that case I don't think it's worth it for the Raptors. Why would the Raptors take on such a huge contract just to move up a few spots AND giveaway Davis? I agree that Okafor's contract isn't as bad as Baron Davis' was, when he was traded to the Cavs along with the Clippers' 1st pick (which ended up being #1 overall), but I think it's still quite a burdon for a cash-strapped franchise still being run by the league. I think they'd much rather re-sign Kaman and have money to sign free agents, in an attempt to appease Gordon as they re-sign him. If they let Kaman and Gordon walk, it will be quite hard to justify the Paul trade!

I would also assume that it's probably the later of the two NO picks (probably around #10-12) that Toronto would be acquiring. Technically, you could view that as a 25-spot upgrade of the #38 pick, for taking on the big contract and giving up two solid rotation players (Johnsons) and an additional 2nd round pick. Who knows, maybe the Raps even buy a late 1st round pick to include in the deal, leaving themselves with two lottery picks?